"Drunk Shakespeare" at The Lounge, April 8–30 (Up to 52% Off)

The Lounge

In a Nutshell

The show that TimeOut New York calls a “live-action Drunk History” always starts the same way: one cast member downs shots of whiskey

The Fine Print

Promotional value expires Apr 30, 2015.Limit 8 per person. Valid only for option purchased. Redeem on day of show for a ticket at venue will call. Must show valid ID matching name on Groupon at The Lounge. Refundable only on day of purchase. Must redeem/purchase together to sit together. Discount reflects Drunk Shakespeare's current ticket prices-price may differ on day of the event. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime. For ADA seating, call box office promptly upon receipt of voucher - availability is limited. Must be 21+ with valid photo ID.Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.

Drunk Shakespeare

TimeOut New York calls Drunk Shakespeare a “live-action Drunk History,” and every performance starts the same way: one member of the five-person cast downs at least four shots of whiskey, one right after another. From there, though, it’s impossible to predict what might happen next, or how the performance might end. Shirtlessness is a good bet. Slurred speech also has favorable odds. Yet, no matter what unfolds or how hard the chosen drinker tries to derail the performance, the members of the Drunk Shakespeare Society do their darndest to keep it on track. Of course, who could really blame Hamlet, Macbeth, or Othello for futzing with the play’s ending? All of this caused the New York Times to proclaim that Shakespeare “…would most likely be familiar with all the boozing, rowdiness and debauchery encouraged by the excitable cast.”

Before the iambic pentameter begins pouring across the bar, the troupe invites one audience member to join the drinker for a shot in order to prove that what’s going down the hatch is in fact booze. This gives a glimpse into the level of audience participation to follow, with people doing everything from singing and clapping to taking part in the drama. A whimsical show by a group of “professional drinkers with a Shakespeare problem,” Drunk Shakespeare was called “an irreverent, bawdy, and good-spirited show, in equal service to liquor and poetry” by Exeunt magazine’s Patrick Maley.